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Greewood Singers step back in time

The beautifully blended voices of the Greenwood Singers retrace their musical history this coming Friday at All Saints Anglican Cathedral.

The beautifully blended voices of the Greenwood Singers retrace their musical history this coming Friday at All Saints Anglican Cathedral.

For the 30th annual From Renaissance to Broadway concert, founder and music director Robert de Frece has mounted a repertoire that takes a nostalgic tour back through time. It relives some of the choir’s greatest highlights ranging from a classical motet by Renaissance composer William Byrd to contemporary composer Mason Williams’ The Kumquatrain Express.

“Over the years we have built an audience by doing something for everybody. People are not necessarily aficionados of heavy choral music, but they will listen if they know there is something familiar,” says de Frece.

And patrons are all too familiar with Byrd, one of de Frece’s choice composers who uses a polyphonic style built on imitation. “One part starts and a new melodic idea is introduced and everybody imitates it at half speed or turned upside down. It creates a wonderful combination of sound.”

Blending with Byrd’s motets is Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Mitten wir im Leben sind, Op. 23, No. 3., an eight-part chorale for cantata. “Mendelssohn was Jewish but raised as a Lutheran and went on to write choral music for both the Lutheran and Catholic Church.”

Sung in German, Mitten wir im Leben sind, “is a sacred work that focuses on death and being bound by the pain of sin. But it is really beautiful.”

In a similar vein, Canada’s own 20th century composer Healey Williams wrote 14 settings of sacred services and de Frece has chosen Missa Brevis No. XI. “It sounds so romantic. The harmony and melody lines are beautiful and sweeping. Some music gives you goose bumps, and he does it all the time.”

On a lighter note, the 44 choir voices also sing Prayers from the Ark, a tell-all from the animals’ perspective. British composer Ivor Davies wrote the music in 1966 based on the poems of French poet Carmen Bernos de Gasztold. “It’s all the animals’ prayers to God while stuck on the ark for 40 days.”

The shy bird, cunning cat, timid mouse, scavenging raven and peace loving dove all have their say. “You identify with each character and my only regret is that Ivor didn’t set more.”

Another chuckler is Mason’s Kumquatrain Express about the misadventures of a train delivering kumquats. “It’s all about the things that go wrong. The choir makes all the sounds of a train, the whistles and the chugging sound.”

And the grand finale is a medley from one of Broadway’s most inspiring musicals – Guys and Dolls. “It’s 60 years old and they are still great songs. They have really tight harmonies and we are staying faithful to the original.”

“As long as we choose to do great music, no matter what the music is, we will have great fun.”

Preview

From Renaissance to Broadway<br />Greenwood Singers<br />Friday, April 16 at 8 p.m.<br />All Saints' Anglican Cathedral<br />10035 - 103 Street<br />Tickets: $20 adults, $18 students/seniors<br />Call 780-420-1757 or visit www.tixonthesquare.ca

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